Bangladesh faces record measles outbreak as vaccination gaps fuel spread

Bangladesh is experiencing its worst measles outbreak on record, with 999 suspected and confirmed deaths reported since March, as hospitals struggle with overcrowding and a continuing influx of sick children. The country currently has the world's largest measles outbreak, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The prolonged outbreak follows disruption to routine immunisation in 2024 and 2025 during political turmoil after the uprising against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Health officials blame weak programme oversight, procurement policy changes, and vaccine shortages for leaving children vulnerable, with under-fives accounting for about 80% of early cases. More than 166,000 suspected cases have been recorded, with over 146,000 hospitalised. Bangladesh had maintained vaccination coverage at or above the WHO-recommended 95% level for most of the past decade, but missed its elimination target due to gaps in 2024 and 2025. An emergency campaign has vaccinated over 19.7 million children, though experts say stronger routine immunisation is still needed. The health system is also strained by a concurrent dengue outbreak with over 45,000 hospitalisations this year.